A Dangerous Game
by blackrider11
Summary: This was a dangerous game they were playing. Based on Tywin and Arya's interactions in the TV series. Intended to be a short one-shot but I may expand upon it. Criticism is welcome.
1. A Dangerous Game

A/N: I have writer's block for my other story. And then I watched Game of Thrones so... yeah 3 seasons 1 day, little sleep. This was supposed to be longer and I may expand upon it.

**A Dangerous Game **

The girl intrigued him. That would be what he told himself later. She spoke her mind, and he could see the intellect and something else that shone in those dark winter eyes. It was refreshing; it had been so long since he had an intelligent conversation with someone. He would have never guessed that it would come from a scrawny half-grown girl. He had known that she was a noble, as soon as she had said "My lord" instead of "Mi'lord". He called her on it and the lie she had used, and it was a _lie_, was clever. So clever, that if it had been any other noble, she might have fooled him. He even surprised even himself when he forgave her for it.

He had only meant to prevent the girl from being made a raped by the fools who guarded this place. Despite rumours, not even he was that cruel. It had been an unexpected blessing that she sharp for someone so young. He had seen her examine the walls as if she was trying to find a weakness in them. He watched her reactions from the corner of his eye as she took in conversation at the council meetings. The small smirk, which had appeared on her face when one of his advisors had said something particularly stupid, had interested him. So he engaged in conversation with her. Only to find her wit was a match that a common man would envy. It became a game.

And he was wiser and more experienced, he held the advantage. So he handicapped himself, it was only fair. He had told her subtly that he was not fooled by her act. And she had responded, with little hesitation or even stumbling. It was so quick that he wanted to know what house would raise such a wild girl. Once he asked himself that question it took him only few moments to know the answer. And he had one conclusion.

That this was a dangerous game they were playing. A very dangerous game indeed.


	2. If Only

Disclaimer: I don't own Game of Thrones or anything to do with the Fire and Ice series.

A/N: This is my second attempt with the whole Arya and Tywin relationship. I tried to do it from her POV and failed miserably. I'll try again but no promises. My apologies to those who wanted one from Arya's POV.

**If Only**

If it had been any other noble house or even if she had been a peasant, he might have adopted her. She was smart, frighteningly so. She would have made a fine advisor to anyone she deemed worthy. The girl, reminded him so much of her. It was a nostalgic feeling and he had… indulged. He shouldn't have, but his wife, Gods bless, would have loved her.

If they had had a child like her, with his smarts and her spirit and wit, he took a long drink before that line of thought could go any further. Gods, be cruel, if only he could have adopted her.

And he would have despite the questions it would have raised or the protests from his daughter. In fact, he mused, it probably would have been good for her to have some female competition. If only his wife had lived, if only… no best not go down that road of thought. There were no ifs or maybes just the cold hard truth. His wife was dead from childbirth, he was off to kill the girl's brother, and the girl would forever hate him.

He'd either have to kill her or break her soon. He didn't want to do either, but if he couldn't break her, she'd be back to kill his family, he could see it in her eyes. Right now, she was dangerous but not stupid, but once he had finished with her brother. Well, their house had chosen their symbol of a direwolf well. For both of them, packs and prides were important. He hated his son but if someone had killed Tyrion, he'd extract a full measure of justice. If someone had gone in, thoroughly thought out, and then purposefully murdered his wife, there would have been no mountain, no amount of water, no earth or sky that would have stopped him from hunting down and killing that person's entire line and all their friends. The girl and he were alike in that way. Under the right circumstances she would have been magnificent.

He looked contemplatively into the fire. He would have to kill her after all, she'd never break. Bide her time maybe but he'd never tame her wild spirit. He looked walked to the window and looked out onto the moonlit fields. There he decided. He's kill her when he got back from this journey. It would give her a chance, one chance, just one to run. His mind was screaming at him that shouldn't. But his heart, the small part where his wife still resides swayed him and told him just this once, just one more time for the sake of her memory. He would. He sighed heavily feeling the true weight of his years for the first time since his wife had died. He wished for a little more time to pretend that he was just an old lord who had found companionship with a girl. But the moon was setting and harsh reality would rise with the sun.

If only fate had not put them on two different sides. If only.


End file.
